I have an issue with my powder dispenser that puzzles me. First, it only happens when using Hogdon Titegroup powder. Then the powder seem to be attracted to the walls of the hopper and if not removed fairly quickly attaches itself to the walls to the point that just washing won't dislodge it; I need to use soap and water and scrub it with fine sandpaper.
I've been told that the culprit is static electricity and that the way to work around it is to wipe the inside of the hopper with anti-static dryer sheets before pouring the powder. If this is the answer, my question would still be Why does it happen only with titegroup?
thanks,
AJ
Wipe inside and outside of hopper with drier sheet.
Then do the outside of your powder jug.
It sounds as if this batch of powder has acquired a static charge.
Thanks eaglescouter. Is there a way of "evicting" that static charge from the powder. I was thinking, that when changing sim cards on my computer. I wear a strap that goes from my arm to a ground. Its purpose is to provide a way for static electricity to go from my body to the a place where it would not harm the computer. Would that work with a powder hopper plastic)?
aj
Static electricity builds up when the charge generated by two things rubbing against each other doesn't have a path to bleed off to ground. That is what that wrist strap you put on to work on electronics does. The plastic jars that powder come in today are insulators so the charge cannot travel through them to ground, back in the days of the metal cans this was not as much of a problem. Most anti-static sprays and dryer sheets leave a soap like film on the surface that attracts a small amount of moisture. This provides a conductive path for the charge to travel to ground. Humidity is your friend when fighting static electricity. What is your workstation and storage shelves like? Wood and metal are best since the wood usually has enough moisture to bleed charge off and of course metal conducts as long as the paint doesn't provide too much insulation Formica can be a good insulator so if you have that use your dryer sheets on it as well as everything else. Plastics can be treated to provide "anti-static" properties, it may be that most of your powder containers have this treatment and the one containing the problem powder does not have any. If the charge is coming from the powder transferring it to a grounded metal container for an hour or so before putting it into your hopper may help but the act of pouring the powder generates charge.
I've had this issue as well. There is a more permanent fix, you can Youtube it, or look on Facebook in the Dillon Owners Group (great resource), but several have mounted a grounding wire to the press, and then to an outlet. I plan to do it someday.
Until then, the drier sheets work. That Benchmark powder is some fine stuff, and I get the static with it. Drier sheet alleviates it. I rub the inside of the hopper, and the outside.
R/
Chris
One last question, assuming the bottle of powder is "infected" with static electricity and that the plastic jar is a good insulator, what is the danger/possible issues transferring the powder to an aluminum bottle (the kind used in storing fuel for a camping stove). Being metal, I should be able to ground the bottle and say good-by to the static charge. My preoccupation is that a static charge can create a spark (boom). Other solution would be to play it safe and get rid of the remaining powder. I really don't understand electricity very much.
aj
Risk is low, about the same as pouring it into your dispenser and then into the shell. Don't look at it as "infected with static" in most cases the static will bleed off over time (no such thing as a perfect insulator) but pouring or worse shaking the powder in the container will generate a static charge. If you do move it to a metal jar, don't use a strong jar with a tight top. Progressive Powder is pretty safe as long as it can't generate much pressure if it ignites. In a metal jar I would look for a rubber or cork stopper that would blow out and relieve the pressure in case the powder ignited. That would limit the problem to a rapid burn and not an explosion.